GALLERY

PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 19: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on February 19, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 102-90. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kobe Bryant

PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 19: Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers handles the ball during the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Center on February 19, 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Lakers 102-90. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kobe Bryant

When is 81 greater than 100? When it comes in modern NBA

The 50th anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game this week got some to thinking, was Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game better than Wilt’s 100?

And if anyone could break the 100-point barrier in this era, who would have the best chance: Kobe (right) or someone else?

This from cbssports.com’s Royce Wright:

“The Mamba took 17 fewer shots, 12 fewer free throws, didn’t have his team fouling to get him the ball, had fewer possessions and still only came up 19 short of Wilt. (Kobe) scored 55 points after halftime. That’s only 14 short of Michael Jordan’s career-high. Forget what math and maybe common sense tells you. Eight-one is greater than 100.”

Gallery’s not a Kobe fan but thinks the writer’s probably right. Wilt went up against a team with a 6-foot-9, 185-pound center, who fouled out in the fourth quarter. The Knicks’ other center was sick that night and didn’t play.

In today’s NBA, just about everyone can play defense, which is why a 7-1, 275-pound Chamberlain probably couldn’t get close to 100 again, even if all of his teammates were in on it. As great of an athlete as he was, he was great for his era. He was an anomaly for his time. The league is full of great athletes these days.

Today, an older Kobe probably couldn’t sniff 81 again.

Gallery would put money on Kevin Durant or LeBron James.

Trivia time

The highest-scoring game in NBA history between two teams was Detroit-Denver in December 1983, won by the Pistons 186-184 in triple overtime. Name the top three scorers in that game.

Nice tattoo, sir

From Dwight Perry of The Seattle Times: “Heckle or refuse to applaud at your own risk. Scheduled to perform a stand-up act April 13-18 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas: Mike Tyson.”

Clipper Darrell update

Apparently, the Clippers aren’t so dense, after all. Already having given superfan Clipper Darrell thousands of dollars worth of free tickets over the years, they offered him (Darrell Bailey) a job, albeit with a very small salary, that of a cheerleader, to make appearances on their behalf, as Gallery had suggested Friday.

According the Los Angeles Times’ Bill Plaschke, apparently the salary wasn’t enough for Clipper Darrell and he didn’t want to be controlled, so he declined, and even went as far as to mull over an offer from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to move to Dallas and become their superfan.

“Somewhere along the line, he stopped being a super fan and became a marketer,” Carl Lahr, longtime Clippers vice president of marketing and sales, told Plaschke.

If anybody should have made a buck off the Clippers wretchedness over the years, Clipper Darrell probably deserved it for sticking with them.

But even the dregs of the sports world have their limits.

More Clipper Darrell

Clippers guard Chris Paul, to
ESPN.com, on Clipper Darrell: “I used to hear him for years as a visitor. He used to scream and tell me how ugly I was.”

Trivia answer

Kiki Vandeweghe had 51, while Isiah Thomas and Alex English had 47 each.